Welcome to Texas justice: You might beat the rap, but you won't beat the ride.

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Governor: Please come back from the campaign trail and fix TYC!

An Open Letter to Texas Governor Rick Perry:

Dear Governor,

I read that you are in Iowa speaking to crowds of 20-30 on behalf of Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign bid. Perhaps you simply, strongly support him, or perhaps you hope to become his vice presidential nominee, as some have claimed. I won't presume to judge your motives.

But sir, we need you to get back home and fix the mess your appointees have made at the Texas Youth Commission. You need to find a new conservator, PRONTO!, and give them the authority to hire and fire agency leadership as they please, including getting rid of the current managers who've alienated staff and proven they're not up for the job.

If the new conservator is not empowered to replace the Executive Director, the General Counsel, or "Bronco" Billy Humphrey whose defiance needlessly dragged TYC into litigation over its pepper spray and use of force policy, then honestly you can't expect any self-respecting person to take that position.

In the past Ms. Pope has wrongly blamed TYC's problems on the influence of juvenile corrections experts, as though some rogue superintendent allegedly sodomizing youth out in West Texas or a guard allegedly coercing sex with girls in Brownwood stems from the application of juvenile justice best practices! Now, in the Dallas News, she blames TYC's failure to provide adequate treatment services on the influence of "white women" with Ph.D's.

Mr. Perry, exactly where would the Republican Party be without white women? Are you sure you want your state agency heads running around making such foolish statements while you're off chasing voters in packs of ten through the Iowa cornfields? Sir, please come home and find somebody ASAP to turn this sinking ship back toward harbor: It may already have wandered too far out to sea!

There are readers on Grits for Breakfast, many of them Youth Commission employees, who think all this is happening because you want it to, because acting executive director Dimitria Pope and the crew of TDCJ transplants she has brought in are intentionally running the agency into the ground so that you can farm the contracts out instead to private prison firms or other contractors that may contribute to your campaign.

My observation has been different: Even at the height of the media storm this spring - when it was first revealed youth had been sexually molested by staff at multiple units, and physically abused at all of them - you never appeared engaged, simply handing the problem over to your "fixer," Jay Kimbrough, whose unhappy legacy still hovers over the agency, and appointing a "Blue Ribbon Panel" whose recommendations your appointees ignored. I don't honestly think you've paid a lick of attention to TYC. But it's time for you to start. Jay Kimbrough has moved on, this time without "fixing" things, and the folks he's left in charge have no experience in juvenile corrections and just can't do the job, however good their intentions.

Thanks both to past, bipartisan neglect and because the gravity of its problems were understated by the new administration during the legislative session, the agency is not sufficiently funded to fulfill its mission given the number of kids who are housed there. That's the main reason for poor treatment results at TYC, not the influence of white women!

It may be possible still to avoid a complete collapse at the agency, whose misdeeds are already drawing withering editorials from the New York Times, during the height of the general election season next year.

It would be much better to get home now and find somebody to fix this problem before it gets out of hand. It could even require a special session, before it's all said and done, as much as I hate to say it. TYC can't remain a backburner issue for you any longer, Governor Perry, and what's happening at that agency is a lot more important to Texans than whatever you had to say to twenty people at an Iowa house party.

You may be a lame duck, Governor, but at least until Mr. Giuliani offers you the Veep gig, you've got a few more years left on your contract still, and it's not time yet to start phoning it in. Please get back home and fix this train wreck at the Texas Youth Commission, or get on the phone and find somebody who will.

146 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Wow! So white women with PhD's are to blame! Ridiculous, ignorant...what a fantastic leader and role model we have! I can only hope that D'ope (thanks to whoever came up with that moniker. I like it even more now) showing her behind like that will tempt someone to give it a good, swift kick and send her back where she came from.

I wish someone in the media would take these statements and blow it up all over the news media and State of Texas. Scott, thanks for your article and I hope it gets picked up by all and this so called Gov. takes heed to it. This is unbelievable and we can't let her get away with this crap! That untouchable statement is coming very true.

Please, If you have not registered to vote , please do so. If you have NEVER voted , please do so this coming election. Please print and show all your friends what Governor is allowing on your job. Don't take it lightly, go vote and get rid of these people. Can you imagine our governor in an office of the white house. I think GUL.needs to rethink his nomination if he ever thinks he has a chance.

The resocialization program was writen by people who were in the field at the time. Yes they were highly educated and mostly women but none were black so i guess it is a black and white world for Ms. Pope.

The Resocialization program was remarkably ambitious and was highly touted across the nation as the standard of treatment. TYC and he legislature should have been grateful.

The problem was not with the Resocialization program but with a lack of funding, exploding population size, and ability to attract and retain enough qualified professional/treatment staff.

Resocialization also failed to be supported within the agency by "corrections" focused superintendents. We were getting back to being on the right track wth Dr. Brantley as the head of Corrections but that is all unfortunately political history.

UNBELIEVABLE! Had any white person holding a similar post said that black women with PhD's were to blame, they would have been on the national news and Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and Quenelle X would all be camping out on the grounds of the State Capital in Austin Calling for their head!!!!. Is it not enough that this woman and her Posse have demonstrated multiple inadequacies in their jobs? Since taking over at the helm D. Pope has steadily navigated the TYC to a poorer and poorer functional state. It’s time to look beyond the Governor and to begin swamping the legislators with requests from their constituents to step up and protect our States Incarcerated Kids. Call Sen. Whitmires office, Call Sylvester Turners office, find out who your local State legislators are and then contact them, then ask your friends and neighbors to do the same. Call your county Juvenile Judges and make them aware that the rehabilitation programs that they intended for the kids to participate in many cases are simply not being offered. Contact your local TV and Radio and ask them if they are aware of the current state of ruin the TYC has fallen to? They will get the ball rolling. This whole thing is a fine example of a bureaucracy gone completely out of control. Step away from grits for a few minutes and make sure that your voice is heard loud and clear!

Perhaps the Governor realizes the inevitable...that there are no quick fixes for the problem of wayward youth. In order to keep the general populace safe and secure, it is unfortunately necessary to incarcerate those, both youth and adult, who would victimize our populace without compunction.

I challenge you, Scott Henson, to personally do something about this problem (other than to complain and to name call). I challenge you, Scott Henson, to go to work for TYC and "fix it up".

Part and parcel of that effort, you should be able to rehabilitate and resocialize all of these wayward youths in short order.

As part of your show of committment to this cause, you and your wife should take in two or three of the most violent and volatile offenders into your own home.

Be sure to leave them unsupervised with your spouse for a weekend after they have gained your "trust" and you have rehabilitated them.

Some people, youth and adult, are so dangerous that they must be locked up to protect society. Unfortunately, many of these types will rebel at every instance, and will inflict some form of mayhem and danger by any means necessary and in all situations.

Put your money, your time and your life where your mouth is, Mr. Henson. Go to work as a unit level guard for TYC for a year. Or a counselor.

The bottom line is that D. Pope is a raciest! The proof came from her own mouth letting the entire world know how much against white people she is. Governor Rick Perry has made one black appointment after another in an effort to get the black vote behind him at the state and national level. His appointments have not been made based on who was best for the job but who could swing the most votes for his future political aspirations. With the negative cloud surrounding TYC getting worse every day I seriously doubt any highly qualified person would risk their career to try to save TYC. TYC is history in the making and the final chapter will be written by the Sunset Commission in 2008! The End!!!

Don’t forget to burn up that sick leave. A 30 day stress leave is a good way to kill off your sick leave and look for a new job while being paid. You can’t take sick leave with you so get paid for it! TYC is finished so take care of your family and yourself. Get everything you can while you still can. Don’t leave a nickel on the table. Every nickel you leave on the table is 5 more cents D. Pope can use to redecorate Central Office. Also I can’t think of a better time to go out on stress leave. Spend Christmas with your family for a change and I bet you will be glad you did.

While this idiotic quote from Pope is getting most of the attention, the main thrust of the DMN piece seems to be getting lost.

The article traces the failure of TYC's drug rehab program over the past decade, and suggests some structural reasons for that failure, while also acknowledging that this is "the most intractable" of problems juvies bring into TYC.

Why are all the serious, thoughtful discussions coming from reporters, outside critics, and TYC staff, rather than from the agency's leadership?

"White women with PhDs" may be the single stupidest comment to date on the subject. I assume then that what's needed are "Not-white men with little or no education."

You know, If I had used the n word while on state payroll on state property I would have had to attend sensitivity training. I happen to know a white women who did have to go because she accused a black man of n----- rigging his cable in a classroom.

Dementia Pope is a racist. Black folk who do not see this as inflammatory are themselves not sensitive to racial politics.

I have worked for Black and White people of both sexes, and to just assume that educated white women are not their own minority with the same rights as white males over 40, is pure ignorance.

As I recall the Resocialization committee make up there were educated people of all races in its makeup. There were a large number of Hispanic people on the committee. So any of the categorizations of the design of the program going to "White Women With Ph.D.'s" is insulting to the rest of the multi-ethnic committee.

Shopping in my home town this afternoon I ran into some X-TYC employee's and some locals that know where I work. In telling them how it was going at work, I told them of the latest story in the DMN. I told them to read it. I only wish I knew how to put those facial expressions on this blog when I told them of this "white women" statement made by the leader. The jest of the responses were as follows: You got to be shi,,,, me, That is pure racist, they can't say that! God ole mighty what a idiot.

The public needs to know what was said. Yes , if a white woman had made that statement, she would be out of TYC before she could put a period to the end of the sentence. She just sunk TYC to the lowest point it could go and the morale certainly is in the shitter now.

Can you imagine what all of these white women in TYC CO and Sups are thinking NOW about their JOBS. Its time to pack up and haul ass and let em have it.

To Anonymous 2:20Good Grief! Do you even know what the debate is about? Scott Henson has never said that some people don't need to be incarcerated. He's never said it would be easy to fix. However, I do believe he is of the opinion that sexually and physically abusing the youth is not of great help. While it is not Scott's job to "do something about the problem", it absolutely IS the governor's. Scott's job is to do exactly what he is doing: Trying to stir up enough interest and concern to force people to DO their jobs. If the governor "realizes the inevitable" as you put it, all the more reason for him to have his ass in Texas trying to find someone to salvage this disaster of a state agency. The problem is not with wayward youth. It is with those who are charged with helping them, educating them, rehabilitating them. We've tried sexually molesting them, so I guess it's time to try something else. You think? (No?) Obviously

I would like to tell you about a former TYC employee. This individual came from the federal prison system where he was a successful Senior Case Manager in both Drug Treatment and General population unit's here in Texas at the Federal Prison in Bastrop Texas. He has a Master's Degree in Criminal Justice Administration and is a Graduate of the Federal Bureau of Prisons Correctional Academy in Glenco, Georgia.

The dynamic and inovative approach he brought to federal inmates provided hope and a clear and positive attitude among those inmates assigned to him including achievable goals. Those inmates numbered over 130x monthly over 5 years on his caseload and sometimes more because other inmates in other units wanted him as their Case Manager to handle their programming.

This individual brough a number of successful ideas to TYC also. However, many staff in TYC were unable to understand the ideals and processes to properly engage youth offenders treatment in a positive manner. In addition most TYC supervisors were unable to comprehend the basics of his program ideas because of lack of forsight or understanding. Mainly because of lack of training or simply incompetence due to political placement with no real experience.

Governor Perry, if you want a no-nonsense administrator to clean up TYC, move it forward, with clear and progressive ideas, a tell it like it is attitude to help and develope viable programs for today's youth, you must look at a non-political individual that can and is willing to stand up to those in State government opposing this inovative ideas. A person not afraid to speak his mind and tell it like it to the legislature for the benefit of TYC and the youth. An attitude from the past that will kick-butt of those who under perform, no matter who they know or who is a political allie.

This person is the Former Recommit Case Manager at Marlin Texas. His name is William D. Parker. If you want a non-political independent thinker that focus on proactive approaches and preventive measures this individual is the professional that can and will get the job done. He has no obligations to anyone is state government and caresless about politics or any other political motivations.

If you want correction and proper administrators with viable and measurable youth programming give Mr. Parker shot. I guarantee Mr. Bill Parker will change the course of TYC and bring it back to a national standard and excellence. Take a look at him. He has the skills in leadership that others admire. he is known for fair play no matter who was involved and making correct decisions.

Hope you will ask him to come to Austin. He is truley dynamic and can and will bring this agency back up to National recognition.

"You had a number of Ph.D.-level white females who sat and wrote programming and a concept," Ms. Pope said. "In theory, it looked great. But you didn't have anyone who tested this on the population."

TYC has always had a hidden "racial" glass ceiling to it. Ms. Pope just made it publicly clear. Thank you Ms. Pope for removing any doubt for former employees (and ones soon to be) and providing the most beneficial evidence one could hope for in supporting every lawsuit against TYC. Please look forward to your subpoenas and free your calendar. You continue to make things easy for us.

Between this comment and Kimbrough's comment about a month ago saying he didn't care if a contract provider "was on the grassy knoll", it's clear that TYC has been run by people who talk before they think...if they think at all.

Did the Dallas Morning News writer understand what this statement was going to do when the "white women" hit the press? Why would they not come back and comment on this statement? Will they let it just slide by and go away? This will be interesting to see how the Dallas Morning News and other News papers who pick up this article respond to this racial statement.

Huh... have you ever really looked at the make up of Administrators in TYC...the only minority lacking would be those of Asian backgrounds.

So I am not sure of what ceiling you are referring to...you and I must not work for the same agency or you might be one of those who claims that his/her lack of promotion had been due to not being the right skin color...

TYC has in my experience has been racially diverse. I have had white male/female, hispanic male/female, and black male/female supervisors so I just don't get your comment!

For the record, it has been the white male supervisors that I have had the least respect for.

To 5:05But, I like Oprah and Maya. Can we keep them? Oh yeah, I kind of liked Dr. King. Too bad he's not around to send back. How about "the good n________s?- can we keep them?Not real sure what makes you different than Ms. Pope. You sound like two peas in a pod- just on opposite ends. Trying to make your enemy look bad shouldn't include making yourself appear to be as bad as they are.

5:08I don't know what TYC you work for??? From the top of Central Office on down to Superintendents to JCO VIs-the only color that matters is black. They throw in a token few other races to try and prevent lawsuits- but after Pope's remark, that's not going to save them anymore. Keep talking Pope!!!

I have been amazed all along that the Resocialization Program has taken so much of the blame for the failures at TYC. Although it would be convenient if matters were so simple, it just ain't so. It doesn't matter what program they have if it is not administered properly. I cannot imagine that there will be much success with "CoNEXTions" either, since they will not be able to keep Case Workers any more than they can keep JCO staff. In order to do that they would have to show some respect (example: uniforms) for them as professionals and maybe even get some feedback from them....possibly ask them what is working, what they need to help kids out...that sort of thing. The reason TYC has failed youth is much more complicated that the Resocialization program, get real!

Please shut up with the racist comments on either side...it is making some of us sick!!

I agree that Pope's use of the adjective "white" is being blown out of proportion here. It's stupid and counterproductive but not cause to unleash racist invective against black administrators.

It's notable, though, that this isn't the first time she has openly mocked people on the basis of their education and experience in juvenile justice.

Here it is those with PhDs who get dissed, but she has claimed several times that juvenile justice experts presided over TYC's various scandals and failures - as if expertise itself was somehow inherently to blame for corrupt practices.

The reasons for this know-nothing attitude really don't matter much. What matters is limiting the amount of damage this administration can do, to kids and to staff. That means it must be replaced asap with someone who actually understands and adheres to the core principles of juvenile justice. If state officials are unable or unwilling to act then I believe the feds will. And it won't be pretty.

Pope's insinuations about the causes of the TYC meltdown really irritate me b/c they are just plain bad history.

Abuses were enabled by a system that had become overly prison-like, emphasizing security, control, and punishment. Any solution should have moved in the direction of juvenile justice best practices. But that's not what Perry and the lege did.

Instead, they appointed two consecutive conservators with absolutely zero experience in juvenile justice. Then they presided over a takeover of TYC's administration with prison officials also lacking much experience or training in juvenile justice.

In Las Vegas, we call this "doubling down." Only in this case, it was a bust. Texas doubled down on prisonization when it should have done exactly the opposite.

With Sunset looming next year, critics should start thinking about what kind of alternative to TYC they'd like to see if the agency is run into the ground by that time. It's not enough just to criticize, but to envision something concrete and workable.

By early 2009, if Texas doesn't get its juvenile justice system's house in order, whether its TYC or something else, it will leave itself open to federal intervention.

I just read "former feds" at 3:50 p.m. Apparently, the former recommit case manager at Marlin is looking for a job (which explains a lot), but I doubt he wanted someone as illiterate as "former feds" writing his bio. Funniest thing I've read in a long time.

I'm going to have to disagree with you Mr. Bush regarding Ms. Pope's "adjective" of white. To downplay the word as a simple "oopsie discriptor" is underestimating her slip (Freudian?) in using it. The fact she used any descriptor besides one(s) that can really be attributed to the failure of the program(s) (mismanagement, underfunding, understaffing, etc.) shows her internal thought processing (or lack there of). "White, PhD, Females" is all she has processed to blame? The whole time she has been in charge-this is what came to her mind? Has she not read any papers? Has she not looked at the reports? Has she not heard legislators, the public, read blogs or seen any of the happenings within her own agency? From all the staff meetings, going to facilities, responding to law suits and in making policy- "white, PhD females" is all that she thought of and blurted out to the mass media as a response?As you pointed out- she appears to use intelligence, expertise, experience and logical thinking as red targets to destroy. She empowers others below her to do the same. Most of which happen to be black as well. You may disagree that her actions/comments are not a reason to unleash "racist invective" on black administrators. When exactly would a good time for that happen when her comments/actions and those of her "minions" behave in ways that support that?

I also know Bill Parker 5:37Pm. He probaly would make a good choice to turn this agency around. At least he signs his name to comments he makes on the blog.

You sound like a piece of trash that he probably got fired or written up for being an incompetent piece of crap that had no business working with youth. At least Mr. Parker didn't take any s--- from anybody or any rascist administrators or JCO staff. I would be careful of what is said about Mr. Parker. He has more friends in state government than anybody realizes. He also remembers those who had their heads on straight for the good of the youth.

What was even more funny 6:07Pm is the fact that you no longer work for TYC. Mr. Parker got your incompetent butt out of there also for being a corrupt piece of garbage also. Go ahead a laugh now. You won't be laughing when Parker is given a position to remove stupid s---'s like he did you.

The truth has finally come out. I do not believe she made that comment to MSM or anywhere else!!! If a white or hispanic staff made that same comment, they would probably be fired immediately. What is the CO HR Department doing about this one?

Race, gender, and Ph.D.'s are not the problem!!! She just escorted herself to court a little quicker than I would have expected. TYC (and probably other state agencies) will no longer exist because the money will be paid out in lawsuits. How would she expect to win a lawsuit after making a comment such as that one? I can hear it all now -- Prosecuter: "Ms. Pope, did you say that the failure of the TYC treatment program was because of a group of Ph.D. white females"? Unbelievable!!!

Thank you, Scott, for bringing this out. It is very doubtful that the so-called governor of Texas will make any statement or change anything, but it was worth the try!!!

The problem as I see it stems from one (singular, sole, lone) ignorant, big mouthed woman (race irrespective) with a bogus masters degree from a matchbook cover university that no one has ever heard of, running an state agency when she isn't qualified to run a 7/11, making outlandish, ridiculous racial statements in the press. It is my sincerest hope that Dementia is not stereotypical of the Black administrator working for the State of Texas. But she has taken stupid to a whole new level.

Ok we have established that no one cares not even the fools who have represent us our local reps.You know its funny that everyone in the State of Texas has removed themselves of this, We have a gov. who is out trying to get elected to some position and if you can tell what He really is listen to what He is saying about Bush ,,Hmmmm didnt He kiss Bushs ass when Bush was running so if you can tell what a wimp gov . we have ,,,, And our Dear Legislators I know they must read Hmmmm they should really read whats going on in TYC before the entire State goes broke,,,Ahh no one cares as long as they get re-elected so they can ride on out taxes ,,,I dont know about you but my Taxes have doubled and I got nothing but sorry leaders in exchange...Man are we in a Comunist State?????

Some of our TDCK transplants out of CO are the ones trying their best to change the focus from the real issue. Please do not feed into them and keep the topic where it should be,"Is it appropriate for any Executive Manager over a State run agency to make comments like Ms. Pope did in the Dallas Morning News article"?When will this stop, have you ever actually listened to her over a few minutes during a conversation? If you did you would come to realize the intelligence this person clearly possesses. Please go back to her responses during the hearings, "I'll have to get to back with", I'm not sure but let me send it to you later". Lastly, why did TDCJ create the RED Unit?? Speak with some senior TDCJ officials and you will find your answer, she was the 1st one and last one appointed to this position, why would they make up a position for her??

Maybe it is not a racial issue, maybe it is an intelligence issue, "PhD White Woman Envy Issue"???

Jesus, are we going to get a Tom Cruise movie sequel out of this with Pope sitting in the witness chair and Cruise asking about the "code reds"?? Red Unit? What tha?CAN WE HANDLE THE TRUTH?!?!?!

Lawyers, please take a deli style ticker number and wait in line for your chance to sue. There's a lot in front of you, but hang in there- there may be a few pennies or maybe some land deals left for you to get.

About a week ago a friend and I were talking about how long we thought TYC had before it was closed. My friend thought it could happen before the end of the month. Being the optimist I am, I said it could not fall completely apart before sometime in February of 2008. I must admit I am having second thoughts about TYC’s time of death.

The racial angle was bound to surface regarding TYC. A great deal of the chain of command at TYC has historically been black. I have to wonder if the black administrators have not been set up to be the fall guys of TYC. Could the blacks from the past and current administrations been put in place as disposable appointees? When the blacks who were put in administrative positions failed they could be written off as lazy, ignorant blacks who had their chance and failed. Nothing would be said how they received no support or funding to get the job done. Remember how Senator Whitmire told Mr. Harris the information on alleged sexual abuse at West Texas State School could wait until later during a hearing before the press brought out the WTSS sexual abuse.

I firmly believe the demise of TYC is a finely developed plan to take TYC into contract care. Our white governor could not have any of his fine white fellow politicians take down TYC and look like fools. He picked some of the black people in state government and put them in a no win situation. He set up the black man and woman to fail along with TYC! The black administration were given mandates by the governor and members of the legislature that gutted TYC while making the black administration look like incompetent black racist. Rick Perry goes for the black vote while putting a knife in their back. Perry is one slick con man with no conscience. Rick Perry is not the black man and woman’s friend!

I hope and pray people do not look on all black people in a bad way because of the raciest words of Ms. Pope.

9:02Sorry, but the Perry "using the black man and woman" as fall guys isn't going to fly. If they allowed themselves to be puppets- then they deserve what they get. If they were not being manipulated, then they are just as incompetent as they have behaved. Sorry, not buying it. Every person in this world is responsible for their own behavior. PERIOD.

How can Giuliani not know what a putz Perry is?? I'd be scared to death to be associated with him much less be in the same picture! Lord help him if he chooses Perry for his running mate. There will be so much crap coming out from under the carpet on Perry! Rudy will regret that decision for the rest of his life!!! How can Mr. 911 associate with Mr. Reno 911 (the cable comedy cops & robber show)? Grits! Tell me its a bad joke!

The Thinking for a Change program was developed by the National Institute of Corrections. Just looked up the program and guess what? It was written by Juliana Taymans, Ph.D, white female; Barry Glick, Ph.D., white male, and Jack Bush, Ph.D., white male. Could it be that Ms. Pope's statement is not a racial issue but one of gender? This program was co-written by 2 white male Ph.D.s!!!!!

All, let us not let the racist comments of Ms. Pope cloud the very issue of the dismal and lack luster direction of our state agency. She is creating a smoke screen again. All this BS about uniforms, overtime, and OC spray are nothing more than incompents.

She needs to deal with getting more employees on board...but hey that will never happen because who wants to work for a racist. Funny thing the article was about chemical dependency treatment.... Last time I checked...drugs don't care about a persons skin...Not a white, black, brown, yellow. Its a drug problem. Much like the kids in TYC its a criminal act that they committed and probaly compounded by some drug or family issue. They just need help sorting through it. It takes a PERSON to help do the sorting. Don't matter of skin color. Gues we should not let black teachers teach white or brown kids casue they dont know what they about. That is crazy. SHE NEEDS TO GO.

PACK YOUR BAGS MS.POPE

Grits thanks again for bringing this forward. Fellow posters...don't fall victim to the racist tone of the article. Stay with the issues.

Guess all the white female Sups,teachers,caseworkers,PA,pyschologist, diags, or any white female with a degree across the agency should be looking for another job? Guess if all of them quit due to the racist remarks, TYC could be improved.

Pope's true colors (no pun intended) are emerging for the world to see. All you white TDCJ women that are at her beck and call should get off the bus now!! Her remark was racist and gender specific, Robin McKeever and Mary Wood, what is going through your minds now?? TYC does not need ignorance in positions of leadership. Dementia has taken the agency several steps backwords in the name of civil rights! What an absolutely deplorable and unacceptable statement that was! I understand now the racisim factor in the field, if you're incompetent, you have nothing to worry about, you'll keep your job based on race!! Race will determine merits, promotions and supervisory roles. The very thing we have been suspecting for months and has come to fruition before all employees and citizens that read it in print!! I'm with the commentor who suggested they give her a good swift kick and boot her assets back where she came from.

BTW I am a former TYC employee. I am proud of the work I did with TYC. I am ashamed of what da pope has done to TYC. I am ashamed of her comments.

I am a white male over 40. Law says I am a minority just as much as Pope. I am educated and possess a graduate degree. I am highly offended by the idiotic remarks, the idiotic approach to juvenile corrections and the continuing idiocy in the news about these people.

BTW I hope Deborah nance brings da Pope into court tomorrow morning and sues her for every penny that she and her grandchildren will ever earn.

Pope, Neal, and Humphrey, the "Gift" that keeps giving, and giving, and giving.

I sure will be glad when Christmas is over and the new year is upon us, maybe just maybe someone will come back home to his state and take care of this issue. An Executive over a state ran agency should not be allowed this much latitude or ignorance to continue.

Robert Black (Perry's aide) said replacements for Ed Owens, the semiretired current conservator, are being sought. "We need to put the right people in place," he said.

Ms. Pope would not say whether she thinks a conservator is needed. "I'm saying I'm making a difference," she said. "I'm doing what I was asked to do."

Black says we need to put the right people in place and Pope says she is making a difference? Yes she is making a difference but in what regards, for the good of the agency? Does Perry believe TYC needs other leadership by this comment? We can all hope, but the story itself is interesting, Like when Pope states about pepper spray, "It was not like hey, lets go and gas all these kids". Spoken like a true and competent Executive!!

Hey Journalists, CNN, Larry King, and all you other "posers" who are supposedly out there to uncover the "truth" and tell America- where the hell are you now? You'll plaster TYC across your little tickers when it first blew, but now that something like this completely unacceptable display of racisim has occurred-nada. You'll kick Don Imus' ass from here to eternity over his racist remarks but let an incompetent black woman in charge of an entire state agency make remarks that show her true racist demeanor and we get......crickets.Don Imus' wasn't in control of thousands of jobs, making policy and for the care of thousands of youth. This racist woman is. Where is the coverage? Where is the action? Where the hell is our Gov? When will my Christmas present of ear plugs, eye cover and some vaseline arrive? Does anyone at least have connections with the Daily Show with Jon Stewart? I bet he would take the time to address something the rest of the so called "reporter" haven't touched. Balless wonders. Oh, maybe that's the deal! The white educated female journalists are too incompetent to write? Give me a damn pen and a pad of paper and let me face Demetria Pope. I'll have plenty on that pad when I leave and the pen will stay with Demetria- right up the body cavity it belongs.

In the DMN article this morning, Dementia also pats herself on the back for doing an excellent job, not just that she doing what she's been told to do. She also claims to have turned the ship around; I say she has completely sunk it, the DOJ is probably preparing to take TYC over as we speak. But then again, her comment about when kids look you straight in the eye, they are not lying and when she can bond with kids in all of 10minutes; just goes to show you how ignorant she really is. Please show her the exit door!! I guess she will begin pepper spraying by race now!!! A bonehead by another name is still a bonehead. My writing skills may be not be the best but I know ignorance when it rears its ughly head!! Goes to show you that the WTSS people are right when they claim they have seen the racisim in the supt, the regional supt and the secretary! They've been commenting about it for months, no one was listening. Wake up folks, how many other facilities are going through the same ughly mess!!!! TYC will not tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, religion or gender. Grounds for termination I say!!

The real issue raised by Scott is not whether Dimitria is a racist or anti-woman but why, after six months of chaos, a conservator who ain't, an unqualified (no juvenile justice experience) executive director, general counsel, deputy general counsel etc., the pepperspray fiasco, the intentional defiance of a court order, the non-treatment of youth, improper medical care by UTMB, the awarding of contracts to friends and political designees, staff shortages, overtime pay shortages, etc. etc., is the governor off on the campaign trail for someone else when he should be back home minding the store?

This all helps me understand why an excellent teacher and friend of mine (white of course) who has never been reprimanded in over 30 years of teaching was given a 90 day probation because he made an emotional statement in an email to a very select few of his friends. The email was given to a Black Supt. by a person (not one of the friends) who will sell anyone out to put a feather in her own hat and the Black Supt. chose to overreact and contacted his female Black Supt. friend where the teacher works and they completely broke his spirit by insisting that the principal, who has no courage to stand up to anyone, write him a 90 day probation. The email was pointing out some details in the conservator's report that is public information and was information the friends needed to be aware of. His principal told him that it may be public information and on the TYC Intranet as well as the Internet but it wasn't his job to point these things out. He said that they should have to dig them out on their own. This was all deemed a "disturbance" by the Black Supt. and that it violated PRS01.03. Then they told him that his statement that said something to the effect that the people in control and in the legislature couldn't be trusted, was libelous and slanderous. My friend appologized for the statement and said that it was purely emotional and that we know that we have people in control and in the legislature that can be trusted. He begged them to remove the reprimand and tell him what they expected of him and he would follow their guidelines but it fell on deaf ears because they said it was such a serious offense to make that statement to a few friends in an email. Now, Ms. Pope makes a racial statement such as this to the media???? Surely she deserves to be fired. Talk about a disturbance and libelous and slanderous!!!! Her statement was made to the public forum and is much more damaging to TYC. What a joke TYC is. It seems that some of the leaders just might have a double standard, don't you think?

I'm afraid that we in TYC are practically the only ones who care about this stuff.12/15/2007 11:57:00 PM

The statement above sums it all up. The sad truth is the only reason the mainstream media are even interested in the TYC story is because Perry is in the national spotlight right now. If you don’t believe it then consider this- after the fun sex stuff became old hat, the MSM dropped the TYC story until the 2008 “Perry as running mate” election rumors started surfacing. Why else would a NY newspaper ever bother about what happens in TX? They’re just hoping the TYC story will give them ammo against Perry. It could be any state agency but just happens to be TYC...

Take it from me, very few outside of TYC know, much less care about, what's going on. I'm only interested b/c I used to work there. So, the Perry connection could a GOOD thing and the only way to get the facts out there 'cause if it's going to be a political liability Perry may be pressured to actually do something about it. Grits' letter may even end up getting national attention...

Sorry Howard, Perry coming back to Texas isn't going to fix anything. He was here when he appointed these "top examples of human beings". He was here during the lege. He was here during the media frenzy and he was here during the perpetual blunders to date. This Pope racist blunder is just another SNAFU in the long line of them (as you pointed out). None of those other hysterically nauseating events made him act. Why would a racist in control of thousands heading a State agency? Perry's just happy to see some reverse descrimiation finally take place in the big proud state of Texas. Finally, he's over the "good ole' boy" accusations!!! He's probably sent Demetria flowers with a thank you card. What a proud moment for us all. We all just need to calm down and wait for something really important to happen that will need his attention some day. Silly people. Just sit there and look pretty like good little boys and girls. Pat Pat Pat......

How can anyone ignore the fact that the WTSS folks were the first to clue us in on the racism issue many posts back. They also tried to report the sexual abuse of inmates to no avail! It fell on deaf ears until the MSN broke the story!! The agency needs change and it should begin with Dementia's termination! Why would the governor be needed to get this fete accomplished?? He's been a governor in name only. He has no supporters in state agencies!! The bottom line is that the ship is being steered in the wrong direction and if the agency is going to survive, we need to demand change!

11:07- You know the saying about "one man's trash is another man's treasure...".If you are in any way offended by Grit's "letter"- please feel free to throw you computer right out the window (since it's on a blog and all).

D'ope is a complete buffoon, and one with a mean streak! Her comments are tasteless, crass, and if spoken by subordinates, would result in discipline. I don't think this is the first such race-related comment she has made. She would be wise to take her annual training regarding diversity & harassment issues.

This latest comment is just one more example of her disdain for anything not of her own making. Take a seasonally-relevant example: that of Feast Day. In Central Office, we used to celebrate this warm tradition where every department brought a meal and shared it with the other employees. Not to be outdone by the Grinch, Dementia put a stop to all that "holiday spirit" nonsense. Some say she shrieked "feast day was the old way of doing things," then symbolically threw her muffin in the trash.

[Oh by the way, then she made us all decorate our cubes so that we could get back into the spirit].

A couple of other posters have questioned why the HR director doesn't take D'ope to task regarding this comment. Ummm...i think it's cuz the HR director is one of the TDCJ cronies, ever grateful for having been "hooked up." She wouldn't bite the hand that feeds her.

To those people presenting comment's to this Blog, there are those who are looking at TYC and deciding it's worth to the youth and the taxpayer's that support agencies in our state. All of us, no matter what our race or cultural backgrounds and beliefs need to come together as one in order to prevent injustice and develope answers to juvenile crime problems. Unless we are all on the same page TYC will fail and be dissolved.

Based on the comment of Ms. Pope and the comments made by many bloggers, their is no doubt TYC has a racial problem among staff. The creditability of each employee whatever race is base on each others life experience.

However, when an Executive Director of a governmental agency makes remarks such as those of Ms. Pope, her worth and creditability becomes suspect. Unfortunately, because of those comments she must be removed from her position. Any reference to race or racisim by any leader constitutes that leader be removed for the good of the agency and programs.

Ms. Pope it would be best if you step down. You know this as those who can make those changes. Do it before it has to be done for the good of TYC and the youth by those that have the authority to do so.

Ms. Pope your racists comments and mandate has proceeded your arrival to TYC. These comment's will sound be noted on national news channels. Please move on Ms. Pope for the good of the youth and the staff that implement their programming.

I'm tired of people complaining about what needs to change but taking no steps to do it. I just emailed the AAS, The New York Times, Texas Monthly and CNN and told them about Ms. Pope's latest fine leadership move. Don't just complain- actually do something. The more these publications, media outlets and people who can actually do something hear from you (on what you want covered and done)- that will get them moving. If you don't take the time to act, then don't complain!Pissed Off Educated White Woman

Just a comment about Mr. Parker. I worked for over three years with him as our caseworker on the recommit dorm 6B at MOAU. He had so much insight and respect from the youth that when he walked on the dorm it was as if GOD appeared. The recommitted youth respected him so much that they would correct their behavior on the spot. Not because they knew he could destroy them and their programming, but because they knew he was trustworthy and wanted to be respectfull to him. Mr. Parker could take the worst youth on a dorm and turn them into leader's that other youth would then respect because of the change other youth saw within those youth that Mr. Parker deamed appropriate for dorm leadership. The other youth respected Mr. Parker and knew he was fair and consistent. Mr. Parker kept youth informed and what was going on. He kept them informed preventing frustration. That built trust on 6B. When Mr. Parker was threatened by MOAU administration for allowing youth to speak their minds in group, he was labeled as a trouble maker. I know of no TYC employee at MOAU that would disagree with the worth of Mr. Parker regarding recommitted TYC youth. I challenge anyone to a debate on this form what Mr. Parker did for TYC.

If TYC had just 1000 individuals with his insight, knowledge and experience, there would be no need for all this foolishness on these blogs regarding incompetent leadership. Governor Perry needs to look behind the phoney Ph.D's, attorney's and so called experts to find the person that will TYC back to it's national prominence.

Thank you for this submission. Public Information reviews and summarizes story ideas, and distributes them to appropriate news divisions for consideration. If it is decided the story is something of interest that can be developed for on-air reporting, you may be contacted for more information.

Thank you again for sending it our way.

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OK everyone- did you catch the part "if it is something of iterest..." CONTACT THEM!!!!

doj at 3:40 p.m.: Are you recommending Mr. Parker to replace the Acting Executive Director, become the Conservator, or eventually be appointed the new Commissioner of TYC? Of course, Mr. Parker can probably have his pick of positions. The Governor probably can't keep up with the blogs while he's in Iowa, but hang on -- he'll be back to Texas soon. When he goes to Austin, is he taking you with him?

As an “educated white woman” who spent a lot of hard time and effort to get where I am today I wanted to let you know that I took personal offense to the comment you made to the Dallas Morning News. Your comment was not only an insult to me but to all people of any race that have worked hard to get an education and be a productive citizen. I can only imagine how you treat the staff of the Texas Youth Commission and the youth incarcerated in the agency based on the comment you made. You should be ashamed of yourself and at the very least make a public apology. Your comment only serves to fuel the ideas of racism that many of us have fought for years.

What is a "Red Unit"? I'm thinking that it might be Mart II. It is sure heading that way. And by "red" I mean bloody. It is a horribly dangerous place to be right now. No staff, no control, and no one seems to even care. We get the badest of the bad from all the other facilities, but have no different directives for control. These are the 3-4 time re-offenders and they are hardened. So there is NO control. Mark my words, blood bath is where it is going! And, there are not even any white ladies with PHds running it!

Well, here we go again. On the strings of discord and un-unity....first, Scott Hansen I applaude you...I know you are not commenting and going to work for TYC, as your reader/writer, said for you "to fix it" can not happen. People, staff, workers, and readers please understand that there are good and bad inside TYC and Scott is simply stating the obvious...GOVERNOR - YOU MUST MAKE A DECISION AND COME BACK AND GIVE AN ANSWER AND A DIRECTIVE AND STOP THIS RUNNING AND DO SOMETHING. He wasn't saying he could fix TYC - he was saying hay look, its still broke....fix it. Nothing more, nothing less. He supplied the truth...and as far as the comment about white women...I bet it was taken out of context but only adds to the public, disgraceful saying and actions by Ms Pope. We can sit and pass blame and point fingers, but the ones that are STILL suffering are the children. And yes, I am aware that they are convicted criminals and yes, I am aware that there are some innocent ones in there but GOVERNOR get back here and fix this! Lets stay focused to the JCO and caseworkers who were obviously insulted by Scott's letter...you are obviously missing the boat...he is actually supporting you - the workers - by telling the Governor to get off his ass, stop the support in Iowa and fix what is in Texas first. The Governor and TYC Administration are dissmissive and not taking any of the charges, lawsuits, frustrated workers, abused kids, abused staff, poor medical care and "white woman" comments to heart. I do agree he is trying to get a picture together to "outsource" and for the TYC workers - be afraid because of the outcome of the GEO and the shady dealings of the classification system do you honestly think outsourcing is going to be any better? Scott, I get it - I get you..."write" on! Send a petition and I will gather the names!

Regarding Ms. Pope's comments about taking the kids' "angel wings", I find it disturbing that the black acting executive director is so unconcerned about the black youth in her care. Many come from disadvantaged backgrounds and lived in a culture of violence that contributed to the development of delinquency. The TYC demographics on the website indicate that there is an overrepresentation of minorities committed: 44% are Hispanic, 34% are African-American, and only 22% are Anglo. Why wouldn't she want the black youth rehabilitated and given the best possible shot at success? Why does she want to ensure that they will go into the adult prison system? I truly doubt that she has thought much about what social impact her decisions have on children of her own racial background. Does she not have any empathy or concern for the children? At one of the hearings, she proudly announced that she was able to gain the kids' trust quickly, that she sat on the floor and talked with them. Fine and good, but the DMN statements reveal her true feelings about the kids. They are bad and do not deserve rehabilitation.

wow, as a middle aged white woman with a degree if I had made that comment I would have been fired. But then again I don't have the umbrella of govenor and legislator to cover me. I guess the old expression "it is not a matter of who you know, but who you blow" is true with her Holiness the pope. Who ever said that comment about engaging her brain before putting mouth into motion never meant the Pope. I am so glad I got out of TYC when I did.

Why are African Americans like Ms. Pope held to a diffrent standard? Look at how much trouble Imus and other's have gotten into over racist comments, but yet there is no action here. As an "educated" white woman I find the comment offesive and derogatory. The comment was bad enough, but for it to come from the head of a state agency is an insult to everyone no matter the race or educational background. Here is a person that is suppose to be helping troubled youth of the state. Do you want her as an example of what rehablitation of the youth should look like in the state of Texas. Because if she is you might as well get used to higher taxes and more prisons because the youth of today will be the inmates of tommorow.

You'all just don't understand! It's all the White mans fault.....and now it's the fault of all the white women with Ph.D's.

They will never get it. This is why this agency fell. Ms. Pope and others like them are not capable or appropriate to conceptualize long terms goals or manage complex administrative procedures. They in less than five years destroyed TYC.

Oh, was that to abrasive or racist.Blame yourselves for your foolishness........

I don't think they'll remove her. She hasn't done any good since she's been in there so why expect anything now. I know one thing, if they had any sense, they'd start with her and go all the way to the Supts. of the facilities. That would be a good start. Most of them seem to support each other all the time so as far as I see it, they are all in it together. The very least they could do is to see if the Supts. and their Assistants can write an email that makes sense and whose words were spelled correctly, etc. I know of at least two facilities that would lose 3 of those positions out of the 4 if that test were given. For some reason, it seems the dumber you are the higher you move up in this agency. No wonder they bad mouth the educated white folk. Has anyone ever looked at the employee race situation TYC-wide? It seems to me that there should be something like title ix in college sports and the ratios should be adjusted. They look a little skewed on the dark side from the places I've seen, especially in the admin. positions and the higher JCO ranks. One other thing.... I can tell quite a few of you think Don Brantley is a good guy and he may be, but I know I sent him an email exposing wrongdoing that was going on and he didn't even have the decency to answer the email. I expect he investigated it much like they do everything else in TYC. He probably called up his buddy who the allegation was about and told him he had been sent an email and who it was sent from (he might have even forwarded the email to them) and not to worry about it that he had their back. That's the only dealing I had with him so he's 0 and 1 with me. So, I for one, am glad he's gone.

Ms. Pope needs to stay home and bake cookies for her family instead of pretending to sail a ship that is drifting in the sea of chaos.

Can we throw her overboard... along with her crew?

Maybe it is a dumb black woman thing... not sure... hope it is just a coinky-dink... but there is an assist. principal, we'll call her Mrs. Young, that is an acting (I use that term loosely) principal that rarely shows up to work and if she does show up, she shows up late and is so incompetent it is not even funny.

I have been dismayed by the occasional openly racist comments that have been made by white folk on this blog site. But now, Ms Pope has given the white racists plenty of ammunition. So sad! White folks like to say so and so is a credit to his/her race. I'm afraid Ms Pope is an embarrassment to my race.

Please don't assume the people posting these racist remarks are white, remember this you see anonymous. Someone could be just stirring the pot to fester this hatred that Ms. Pope started. Lets all stay away from these type of remarks unless of course you would like to stoop to her level and if so please move on to another agency and take the Pope with you.

For those of you still employed and you know who you are. It is illegal to use your state computer to access web sites like this one on state time...PERIOD. Even those non TYC employees. You will be dealt with.

Scott thanks for giving people the appearance of courage to think they can speak their mind about management. You are a bafoon much like the TYC and former TYC people posting here. Don't you realize you are a majority here but to the rest of the world a minority. You are not mainstream media and never will be. Criminals and the parents of will grab on to what/whoever to try to right their wrong. Change takes time but again you not fair in your assessment of things. Not to worry. Doors will be closing for you real soon.

For those of you still employed and you know who you are. It is illegal to use your state computer to access web sites like this one on state time...PERIOD. Even those non TYC employees. You will be dealt with.

For an act or omission to be illegal, there must be a statute or common law doctrine that governs the act or failure to act, PERIOD. So, until you can come back with caselaw or statutory authority on point, please shut up.

Even accessing this site in violation of a written TYC computer use policy is not a per se violation of policy. You see, the behavior tolerated by an agency MAY become its policy. If an agency fails to enforce its written policies, then its practice becomes its policy.

In short, there is nothing illegal about accessing this site from a state pc. I'll do you one better, too. As I suspect that TYC management accesses this site without any articulable reason for doing so, they've left the door open for the peons to do so as well.

I need not respond to the rest. I've decided that you are an idiot so I'll simply go ad hominem on you.

To 9:59 and the rest..Like I said its illegal. Its called stealing state time. Let me see, its called using state property and resources for personal use. You may want to sound intelligent but the fact of the matter is you are not. The law and policies of this state are what they are. Shut the F$#% up.

Free speech exist on your own time with your own resources. That is why it is free. The people of this state expect TYC employees to be watching them bad azz kids and keeping them safe while they are on the state payroll. Not having sex with them. If you recall, they reason this agency is in conservatorship is not for the sex that occured at WTTS. It is because the good TYC employees were being paid by the state and while they were on state time. They were doing the NASTY with them bad azz kids. So a finding of gross fiscal mismanagement was delivered by the lege. Hence CONSERVATORSHIP. GO READ IT.

So to tell all these good (LMAO) TYC folk and other state employees who get on the internet and post to this blog, email from personal non state email accounts while on state time that it is ok and Free Speech. YOU ARE MISINFORMING THEM.

Keep doing it. It can and will (for some of you) affect your future employment. As a tax payer I want government funds spent wise. Not to pay TYC or other state employees to have sex with kids, abuse state property, or talk about if/when/what/should. Do your durn job. Now how is that for a response you Jack AZZ.

“To 9:59 and the rest..Like I said its illegal. Its called stealing state time. Let me see, its called using state property and resources for personal use. You may want to sound intelligent but the fact of the matter is you are not. The law and policies of this state are what they are. Shut the F$#% up.”

Again, it’s illegal simply because you declare it as such? You’ve still failed to cite a statute or common law doctrine while tossing around some vague “stealing state time” law. What if a state employee were posting from a state pc during their required (by Federal law) lunch break? (See 29 CFR 785.19) What then? Would that be stealing state time? I’ll tell you what. Then we’re talking about a violation of state policy which is not per se illegal.

Sounding intelligent aside, you again show your brilliance by saying, “The law and policies of this state are what they are.” Yet you can’t point me to any of them that relate to this issue you are harping on. I agree that the laws and policies are what they are; however, I can do you one better and actually research them. I’ll shut up when I’m dead thank you very much.

“Free speech exist on your own time with your own resources. That is why it is free. The people of this state expect TYC employees to be watching them bad azz kids and keeping them safe while they are on the state payroll. Not having sex with them. If you recall, they reason this agency is in conservatorship is not for the sex that occured at WTTS. It is because the good TYC employees were being paid by the state and while they were on state time. They were doing the NASTY with them bad azz kids. So a finding of gross fiscal mismanagement was delivered by the lege. Hence CONSERVATORSHIP. GO READ IT.”

You would benefit greatly from a Constitutional Law course.

I don’t put a lot of stock in what our lege has done or will do. Self-serving, cowardly, crooked bastards they are. You harp on sex with kids, sex with kids, sex with kids and then pull this gross fiscal mismanagement rabbit out of your hat. Hilarious. If that were the “real” reason this all went down, then why hasn’t Scary Perry called a special session to have the lege deal with the gross fiscal mismanagement that was the overtime fiasco? More smoke, mirrors and misdirection and they’ve got you gulping their Kool-Aid. Are you capable of actually thinking independently?

“So to tell all these good (LMAO) TYC folk and other state employees who get on the internet and post to this blog, email from personal non state email accounts while on state time that it is ok and Free Speech. YOU ARE MISINFORMING THEM.”

I never stated that it is OK. I did state that it is not per se illegal and the point is that until you can cite a statute stating such, I do not personally believe that it is illegal. Truthfully, I believe there is a pretty good defense to any alleged policy violation regarding this matter. In fact, I believe that is the most we could be talking about here. A mere policy violation is all. Until you can cite that statute I’m begging for, YOU are the one who is misinforming in an effort to suppress these people’s opinions.

“Keep doing it. It can and will (for some of you) affect your future employment. As a tax payer I want government funds spent wise. Not to pay TYC or other state employees to have sex with kids, abuse state property, or talk about if/when/what/should. Do your durn job. Now how is that for a response you Jack AZZ.”

You and I both want OUR funds spent wisely. Sorry for that correction. It’s just me trying to sound intelligent again. The FACT is that there is no such thing as government funds. I want to call you a damn idiot but I actually feel sorry for you that you do not understand that simple concept. It’s OUR money. The government has NO money.

You do not care about TYC or anything but causing trouble. If you cared about TYC or the kids, you would turn an ear toward that agency’s best asset, its overworked, underpaid, and dedicated staff at all levels. Your painting with such a broad brush is scary. A very small minority has and will abuse kids. To state, “Not to pay TYC or other state employees to have sex with kids, abuse state property, or talk about if/when/what/should” is pure lunacy on your part. I loved your response. It showed that you are fear mongering and trying to get these TYC employees to be sheeple and not people. I’ll be waiting for that penal code reference on stealing state time.

You did get that one thing right at the very end. I am jack ass and I'd rather be one than a blow hard, fear mongering idiot who apparently has little real appreciation for the role of government.

To the Jack Ass and Blow Hard, I think about what you wrote. You are saying it is "OK" to use the state resourses for personal benefit and that there is nothing anyone can do about it because it is free speech. PLEASE. You done lost your damm mind. And the funny thing is this....Them employees who were (NOTICE THE PAST TENSE) doing so have had a wake up call.

So Ms Jack Ass and Mr Blow Hard....(LMAO) I find humor in that especially dealing with TYC and the sex abuse. Anyway...Game Over. CheckMate or whatever you want to call it.

Now my advice is to stop complaining and get to the front line and do some good. Not Bitch about the problems and who is in charge or why my bad ass kid aint getting whatever. Do some good and not bitch. The world be a better place. Stop complaning and trying to provide free legal advice.

Free legal is what got a lot of them bad ass kids in tyc. So unless you want a bunch of people fired, placed on probation, or some other discipline action STFU. Let me help you also....Look at your damm employee manual Jack ASS

“To the Jack Ass and Blow Hard, I think about what you wrote. You are saying it is "OK" to use the state resourses for personal benefit and that there is nothing anyone can do about it because it is free speech. PLEASE. You done lost your damm mind. And the funny thing is this....Them employees who were (NOTICE THE PAST TENSE) doing so have had a wake up call.”

Allow me to draw the distinction for you. There is a HUGE difference between an act or omission being illegal and an act or omission being a violation of policy. The difference lies in the possible sanctions imposed, among other things. I’ve not stated that it’s “OK” as much as it is NOT per se illegal. I’m sorry you continue to fail to see the difference and I’m disappointed that yet again, you’ve failed to cite any law backing up your claim of illegality.

“So Ms Jack Ass and Mr Blow Hard....(LMAO) I find humor in that especially dealing with TYC and the sex abuse. Anyway...Game Over. CheckMate or whatever you want to call it.”

This game was actually over when I first responded to you last night.

I do remain hopeful that Howard Hickman (a lawyer) may come along and tell you that I’m right with my post from last evening at 9:59. Especially about an agency’s practice becoming its policy.

“Now my advice is to stop complaining and get to the front line and do some good. Not Bitch about the problems and who is in charge or why my bad ass kid aint getting whatever. Do some good and not bitch. The world be a better place. Stop complaning and trying to provide free legal advice.”

I actually have a plan for doing some good and I’ve not yet done any complaining here. The fact that you have construed my posts as free legal advice is demonstrative of the depth of your intellect.

“Free legal is what got a lot of them bad ass kids in tyc. So unless you want a bunch of people fired, placed on probation, or some other discipline action STFU. Let me help you also....Look at your damm employee manual Jack ASS”

I know full well what MY employee manual states regarding pc use. It’s actually a quite liberal policy. The sad fact is that the TYC Administration has shown that if they want someone out, the law and policy do not matter. The arbitrary nature of their decisions has been shown time and again.

You're no daisy! You're no daisy at all. Poor soul, you were just too high strung.

According to current PRS 0131 before & after hours, on granted breaks and lunch are not using on state time. Of course, since CO tends not to tell us much, I think you could make a case that Grits is the transparency supposedly required. Consider the pepper spray and uniform debacles; certainly didn't have any warnings from in house.

Speaking of policy, anybody notice that the most recent change in hiring is that for B14 and above, no competitive process is required? The job must be posted, ED or HR Director (or designee) has to approve; must meet minimum qualifications; and written justification must be sent to HR. Ergo: d'Pope designates her hairdresser who then okays direct appointment of the most minimally qualified GED (see postings for some positions) and a note from Dementia that says: only applicant who wasn't white, female with a PhD

The personsal use of state computer equipment is governed by the PRS which authorizes usage under certain circumstances. As to the various references that some have made to such personal usage being criminal, they are wrong.

"You're no daisy! You're no daisy at all. Poor soul, you were just too high strung."

Thank you, 12/18/2007 04:36:00 PM- I have not laughed so hard in days!

I am disappointed that just because postings are 'anonymous' people seem to be making really hurtful and inappropriate racial comments. It wasn't appropriate when Pope did it, and it isn't appropriate when you do it. Legal, yes; but still inappropriate and harmful to the situation TYC staff are in.

I need your help, Goodhair. Maurading gangs of white women with PhD's are threatening to destroy TYC. You told me that was my job and I ain't giving it up! I'm gonna get the Bronco juiced up on some 'roids I just scored from Senator Mitchell and we're gonna kick some PhD white woman booty. Hopefully that'll get him out of the funk he's been in since the pepper spray hearngs. I'm really pissed!

Calm down, Dementia! It'll be okay. I won't let the white women get you. I'll get the Fuddmeister on this and he'll have it cleared up in no time. And by the way love chunks who's your new friend?

Sorry Dementia, with his head up your butt that far it's hard to tell what he looks like. Ooooo, Ooooo potential Iowa voters gotta run. Hey, what do think about me and Rudy running the country for the next 4 - 8 years? Come back, I want to be your next VP! Go and do what to myself? Is that even possible? Well okay, if I do can I count on your vote?

I need your help, Goodhair. Maurading gangs of white women with PhD's are threatening to destroy TYC. You told me that was my job and I ain't giving it up! I'm gonna get the Bronco juiced up on some 'roids I just scored from Senator Mitchell and we're gonna kick some PhD white woman booty. Hopefully that'll get him out of the funk he's been in since the pepper spray hearngs. I'm really pissed!

Calm down, Dementia! It'll be okay. I won't let the white women get you. I'll get the Fuddmeister on this and he'll have it cleared up in no time. And by the way love chunks who's your new friend?

Sorry Dementia, with his head up your butt that far it's hard to tell what he looks like. Ooooo, Ooooo potential Iowa voters gotta run. Hey, what do think about me and Rudy running the country for the next 4 - 8 years? Come back, I want to be your next VP! Go and do what to myself? Is that even possible? Well okay, if I do can I count on your vote?

4:36,The personsal use of state computer equipment is governed by the PRS which authorizes usage under certain circumstances (It does not define certain usage. Given the fact that we are in conservatorship...All rules/polices are in the hands of the conservator). As to the various references that some have made to such personal usage being criminal, they are wrong (Again being as we are in conservatorship....The conservator makes that decision). Either way you are f#$%*ed.

Thanks for getting your free attorney to provide yall some advice. It don't help you all at all. There will be a big shake up in the near future.

"The personsal use of state computer equipment is governed by the PRS which authorizes usage under certain circumstances (It does not define certain usage. Given the fact that we are in conservatorship...All rules/polices are in the hands of the conservator). As to the various references that some have made to such personal usage being criminal, they are wrong (Again being as we are in conservatorship....The conservator makes that decision). Either way you are f#$%*ed."

What you still don't get is that even the conservator cannot deem acts or omissions to be criminal. That falls to the legislature. They pass the laws in Texas.

You started all this nonsense by stating that using state time and/or equipment rises to the level of being criminal when it clearly does not. I've challenged you at every post to provide proof of what you state and time and again you have failed to do so.

"Thanks for getting your free attorney to provide yall some advice. It don't help you all at all. There will be a big shake up in the near future."

I can't imagine this big shake up that you speak of to include anything more than sanctioning employees for violations of the TYC computer use policy. Even the current lunatics in charge can't be so dumb as to begin firing employees for such minor infractions when they are already dangerously understaffed.

I'm gonna keep on you, though because I don't work for TYC and like Hammer said, "Can't touch this."

"Hammer all you want. He went bankrupt you know. I done all I need to do. I'll tell ya in a few days how effective I was."

The shorter your posts, the smarter you seem. Keep using the KISS method and you'll be OK. It's been real. I did hope to have learned about this new law called Theft of State Time by this point. Oh well, maybe another time. Best of luck with your effectiveness.

Hey jackass / blow hard.....I'm back..... Been a heck of a day. Step 1 of being effective was complete today..... NEW CONSERVATOR. Best tell your folks to watch their ass. Like I said You keep hammering.

"Hey jackass / blow hard.....I'm back..... Been a heck of a day. Step 1 of being effective was complete today..... NEW CONSERVATOR. Best tell your folks to watch their ass. Like I said You keep hammering."

Again, the ONLY thing you've been right on thus far is that I'm a jackass.

You're not actually back as you've never left.

True enough that it has been a heck of a day.

Step 1 of you being effective was complete today? Oh, I get it. YOU appointed the new Conservator?

So now in your delusions of grandeur, you're the good Governor Rick Perry? I should have suspected from the onset due to your poor spelling, grammar and sentence structure.

OK, OK, OK. All my folks listen up. Watch your asses. There I did it. The only problem is that I do not know who my folks are. I simply responded to your ignorant ramblings about using a state pc on state time being illegal. Again, I ask you. Where is that law and what is the penalty for committing a violation of that statute?

I'm not hammering as much as trying to allow you to educate me on Texas law. Why won't you teach me?

I have taken notice that you took my advice and have kept your most recent post short and sweet. You really do sound smarter that way. Seriously.

I like short cause simple minded people can understand. The watch your asses comment was so they can stop watching the bad azz kids assess. But you know that. Keep writing your book or your next article.

Step 2 coming real soon. Get some popcorn. It will be a very interesting next 2 days.

Perhaps them female staff at Mart need to re-think their employment. Have them been trained properly? Why they not use spray? Stop worry about the press to report crap and get the job done. Always want to blame someone else. Look in the mirror.

Ok now, let me see if I have this Criminal act and/or PRS policy violation down. One expert says it's against the law to read Grits for Breakfast on a state computer on state time. Another claims it's a policy violation. I'm anxious to see which is correct. Since the above email was sent on state equipment during state time by first the Computer Tech at VFCA to the Superintendant at the same facility and then from the Superintendant to all employees at his facility, it looks like their heads should roll one way or another. Can you just imagine all these employees forwarding this "Grits for Breakfast" link home so they don't look at it on their state computer or use any state time? Or do you imagine that every employee who got this email from their facility Superintendant (BOSS) via the facility computer tech went to the website on those same state computers and on that same state time that the computer tech and Superintendant used to send it out? I got my guess, how about you. I know I'm guilty. I even was stupid enough to think it was ok since Donald sent it to me. Will anyone have the guts to step up and file the appropriate charges or at least get this to the new conservator and see if they get any kind of reprimand and please, please let us know the outcome. HELL no you won't. This is all talk. Now I can imagine if it were a lowly JCO or PSW or teacher that they might have it in for, well then, their asses would be in a mess I'm sure. I've sat right here on this facility and watched employees read the riot act and serious discipline that will follow them forever put in their files for much less. Will either of these individuals get any discipline? FAT CHANCE. Why? Well, they are on the inside. They only deal out the crap. They never get any of their own. Much like D'Pope, they all seem untouchable. I'm sure glad this is anonymous. I'd never get any help from the tech (not that she can help much anyway) ever again. And with the temper of Donald, I'm sure I'd be in a world of it. Retaliate??? No way. He'd just find some other obscure policy and send my butt out the gate. He's run off so many good staff since he's been here that it's pitiful and Wallace ran off many more. No wonder we're so short staffed. And the way he treats and has treated his people who are in the management meetings.....well, let's just say that nobody should have to put up with that kind of humiliation. This guy needs his ass kicked first (that should be easy since a good wind will blow him over) and then walked out the gate and to jail himself. Good employees shouldn't have to put up with crap like he deals out. Hey, maybe that's part of the plan to get us shut down (I'm convinced anyway that he's part of it now). Since all these employees used state time and state computers to read his email I guess WE'LL all have to be fired and the kids let go. I think I'll go find me a new job now while the getting is good. I know one thing, I can't tell anyone that I'm the poster of this message that's for sure. Ok, Amy and Donald....start the guessing game. Oh, by the way, don't waste your time trying to track this down on the state computers. I did it from home so I wouldn't violate any more laws and/or policies. Why, I'd almost bet that you are reading this post on state time and computers right now. And for goodness sake, don't try to delete any of the information that shows who sent what to who and who read and is still reading "Grits for Breakfast" (including yourselves) on those state computers and on that state time. After all, when that open records request hits, it just won't look right if all of that isn't there for the whole state to see. Funny isn't it that when someone else sends a Merry Chrismas message to the people they work with, you're quick to chastise them and threaten them with policies but when you do it yourself, it's ok. I've always heard of selective deafness, but selective policy enforcement??? Be a sport and arrest yourselves or discipline yourselves why don't you. You make me sick. I almost forgot....Merry Christmas (didn't want to send that out on state time you know).

"Ok now, let me see if I have this Criminal act and/or PRS policy violation down. One expert says it's against the law to read Grits for Breakfast on a state computer on state time. Another claims it's a policy violation. I'm anxious to see which is correct."

Unless someone can provide the statute that has been violated, there has been no violation of the law.

Please go back and read my earlier posts beginning with 12-17-07 @ 9:59 PM. I clearly stated that there may no even have been a policy violation even if there is a written policy against such acts IF the written policy has been ignored and there is an accepted practice that is contrary to policy. Again, an agency's practice MAY become its policy IF it ignores its written policy.

What I have clearly written on multiple occasions is that the MOST that has occurred by someone reading grits on a state pc on state time is a policy violation.

If central office did not want their employees reading of even having access to "Grits" THEY WOULD BLOCK "Grits" SITE just as they have on many other sites they forbid us to serf. They could stop us quickly from reading the "grits" blog if they really wanted to do so. I think CO enjoys the true feed back of how we all disagree or agree with their managnment. So the way I and my Lawyer see it: if it is against Policy or the Law and they want to hold people accountable for viewing the Grits site why do they intrap their employees by permitting them to have access to the site when they BLOCK other sites that is not permitted to serf by TYC ? They do not care, if they did they would BLOCK us ! I have not been ordered by email or any other way to not read about (news) TYC problems on any internet site. For example : Dallas Morning News, San Antonio Press ect., ect., So I feel that I have not violated any policy because of the reasons I have spoke about above. If CO does not want me on the "GRITS" site they either need to BLOCK it or tell me that it is a violation of policy to view its TYC NEWS while on TYC time. Then if I continue to view it on TYC time, then they will have a "leg" to stand on to hold me accountable that I was warned, then they can have disaplinary action against me. This is according to my Lawyer. The biggest "LEG" that we have to stand on is the fact that they BLOCK other sites and why do they not BLOCK "GRITs" if they do not want us on it to find out the latest news of whats going on . We Damn sure can not find it out at our local filcilities. Also they have bigger fish in the sea , right now, than trying to nail an employee for viewing "GRITS".

Southern, daily and good for you

Grits for Breakfast looks at the Texas criminal justice system, with a little politics and whatever
else suits the author's fancy thrown in. All opinions are my own. The facts belong to everybody. Who is this guy?

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